


So Much Fur

by Lady_Phenyx



Series: Fluffvember 2019 [5]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Multi, Puppy Piles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, budding springdove
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 21:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21326827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: Snufkin's made a discovery down by the river, one he's taking back to Moomin House to share with the visiting woodies.Fluffvember Day 5: Playing With Puppies
Relationships: Springtime Trio
Series: Fluffvember 2019 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533602
Comments: 10
Kudos: 82





	So Much Fur

Snufkin had to bite his lip to keep from giggling. Not a usual reaction for him, but, well, these were special circumstances.

He hurried up the path towards Moomin House, knowing that the woodies were there to visit as well, and he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep this a surprise if he didn't hurry.

He wasn't ready to have them full time, but he loved their visits, more and more each time, and he knew they felt the same. Well, today, there was going to be a surprise for everyone.

Moominmamma met him as he rushed toward the back of the house, where he could hear the rest, eying the way he was holding his smock curiously.

At the way _something_ under the smock wiggled and squirmed, the way Snufkin clutched at his stomach, the way Snufkin kept biting his lip, making small snorting noises along with tiny yips.

“Are you feeling all right, Snufkin?” she asked. “You're, ah...”

“Snufkin? Is something wrong?” Moomin asked, popping his head around the veranda to see, hearing Mamma's question.

More heads popped around, shooting off questions as they hurried to surround Snufkin.

“Well, that is...” Snufkin stammered, just before a small head poked out of the top of his smock. It licked his face enthusiastically, covering as much as it could reach, before yipping joyfully.

The woodies gasped, eyes wide, and Snufkin released his smock, sending the litter tumbling down.

There were a half dozen puppies, small bundles of brown and black and grey fur, shaking their heads and yipping and scrambling to their feet.

Snufkin looked up at Moominmamma, a little bashful. “Someone left them in a basket I found in the river, and I thought they could use some playtime while we found people to take them,” he said. “I can't, but you know people, so maybe...”

The one that had licked his face pranced around his feet, barking and wagging its tail, jumping again and again until Snufkin caught it in midair.

Moominmamma laughed. “Well, how could you leave them? Look at that face,” she cooed, stroking the puppy's ears as it wriggled in ecstasy. “We can't keep them, though,” she added, a little louder. “Not permanently.”

The woodies looked toward Snufkin with huge, pleading eyes. “I can't keep any,” Snufkin said. “You'd better not get attached. We'll have to ask the Hemulen you spend most of your time with, and we don't know what she'll say.”

A puppy seized onto Moominmamma's apron, tugging and growling. “Oh, you little darling,” Moominmamma cooed, picking up the puppy. It wiggled in her hands, yipping twice as she laid it in the crook of her arm and petted it.

Little My, unnoticed by the others, suddenly grinned and worked her way over to the nearest woodie. She whispered in their ear, and they gave a soft “Oooo” before turning to their siblings.

The woodies turned towards Snufkin, and at some signal only they could hear, rushed him.

Snufkin yelped as he was leapt on by the woodies. They landed on his arms, gripped his smock, sent him tumbling to the ground as they swarmed over him.

The puppies yipped with excitement and piled on top of the woodies into a writing, joyful mess of fur and cuddles and kisses.

Snufkin yelped again as he was buried under woodies and puppies, and Moomin and Snorkmaiden rushed to his rescue as Little My cackled.

And then, from under the pile of woodies and puppies, came a new sound. Moomin and Snorkmaiden paused, staring, eyes going wide and flushing as it registered.

Snufkin was laughing.

It was bright, carefree, infectious laughter, and the others found themselves laughing along as he was smothered in affection from woodie and puppy alike.

Finally, Snufkin freed an arm, waving it above the mass of fur covering him. “Uncle! Enough! Help!”

Moominmamma, Moomin, and Snorkmaiden waded in then, gently pulling away woodies and puppies one at a time until Snufkin could sit up.

He scrubbed at his face with a sleeve, flushed and hair a mess. His hat had gotten knocked off when he'd fallen, and his smock was covered in paw prints from both woodie and puppy, face flushed and eyes sparkling as Moomin slid his paws under his armpits and lifted Snufkin to his feet.

Snufkin was still chuckling as Moomin held him in midair, and Moomin was suddenly struck with how much they'd grown over the years – and not just physically, though that one was hitting him hardest, as he could pick Snufkin up like this and hold him with his feet dangling above the ground with ease. But with how he _could_ pick Snufkin up like this, that Snufkin would allow and accept the contact, would accept a storm of affection like he'd just been smothered in.

There was an eep from Snorkmaiden, and Snufkin started laughing again, tail waving in joy as they turned to see the woodies had turned their attention to Snorkmaiden.

Moomin lowered Snufkin back to his feet and found himself dragged into the center of the woodie and puppy whirlwind.

Behind them, Moominmamma giggled with delight as all of her children disappeared under the loving mass.

\---XXX---

Eventually, woodies and puppies alike wore themselves out, tumbling over each other into an exhausted pile for a much needed nap.

Snufkin sat on the veranda railing, his hands clasped over his knee, watching them.

“They're sweet,” Moomin said, coming up to the railing and leaning on it to watch them.

“Do you miss them, sometimes?” Snorkmaiden asked. “I mean, they sort of adopted you, and so do you sometimes? Miss what could have been?”

Snufkin shrugged, his gaze never wavering from the pile. “I couldn't take care of them with the way I live. Maybe someday, but...”

He hesitated, and Moomin looked to Snorkmaiden, who nodded encouragingly.

“Snufkin, Snorkmaiden and I...we were wondering, well...we've been in love with you for a long time and if this was your home port then the kids could stay with us sometimes and we wouldn't try to hold you down but maybe we could try dating?”

Snufkin finally turned from the woodies and puppies to look at Moomin with wide, startled eyes.

He glanced over at Snorkmaiden, who was watching him hopefully, before blushing faintly, turning back to Moomin. “Yes,” he said simply, unable to contain his smile.

Snorkmaiden flushed bright pink as Moomin went starry-eyed.

\---XXX---

The woodies watched Snorkmaiden and Moomin intently as they and Snufkin spoke, exchanging gentle touches and soft words, still petting the puppies.

The two leaned forward and rubbed their snouts against Snufkin's cheeks as he giggled, blushing.

It took a moment to click in that this meant they'd have two pappas and a mama, and they started cheering as it did, making the three blush harder as the woodies wiggled and danced in glee.

\---XXX---

The woodies clustered around the Hemulen when she arrived, chattering happily about everything that had happened, holding up the puppies and staring up at her with huge, pleading eyes.

They could see her hesitating even from the veranda, wavering in the face of all those sad, begging eyes.

“...well...” she hesitated. “They are herding dogs...” she said. “I suppose they'd be good protectors for everyone, but the training...”

“I have a book on it,” Moominpappa offered.

“Pretty sure it's pretty similar to how we've been going with the woodies,” Snufkin offered. “Rewarding good behavior and all that.”

“I suppose...oh dear...well...there's six puppies and six of you, so...I suppose it's only fair...”

The woodies cheered, surging forward to hug the Hemulen before each choosing their own puppy.

“You're even softer than I am,” Snufkin laughed.

“I don't see you taking any puppies,” she teased back.

Snufkin shrugged. “They're in better hands,” he said simply. “I can't care for them while traveling. And I couldn't leave them in the stream.”

“We'll help you train them,” Moomin offered.

The hemulen shook her head. “It will be good for the woodies to learn how. But you can come help now and again. They're very happy when Snufkin comes to visit.”

The woodies rushed Snufkin again at the sound of his name, the puppies held close or yipping at their heels.

For the second time in one day Snufkin was toppled from his feet, this time allowed to sit up as the woodies rushed to tell him the names they were choosing for their puppies.

Snufkin laughed, listening as they told him, chattering happily why they chose the name and climbing all over him.

After a moment, the ones who'd gotten to tell him rushed to Moomin and Snorkmaiden, holding up their puppies and bouncing as they told them their news.

The hemulen watched in amused affection, glancing over to Moominmamma.

“They're dating now,” Moominmamma told her quietly.

“Oh, good. I wondered,” the hemulen said, and Little My laughed at the look on Snufkin and Moomin's faces. “Oh dear, it's just, you all seemed so very fond of each other, and...”

“Did everyone know how we felt but us?” Moomin exclaimed.

“Yes,” Little My said flatly as Moominmamma hid her giggles.

Snufkin and Moomin flushed, and Snufkin was buried again under a pile of woodies and puppies.

With a whoop, Little My threw herself on top of the pile, and laughter rang out once more across the valley.


End file.
